September 20, 2011
Planning Board Discusses Flood Recovery (Giasone, Parsippany Patch) Parsippany Troy-Hills, Morris County
“With just one item on the agenda on Monday night, the Parsippany Troy-Hills Planning Board meeting was brief.”
Hamilton Township renewable energy plan waits for New Jersey approval (Landau, The Press of Atlantic City) Hamilton, Atlantic County
“A firm hoping to build a renewable energy plant in the township’s Industrial Park is waiting for approval from the state before it will decide to redevelop a former landfill.”
Branchburg could allow “age-restricted” development to become market-rate housing (Cooper, Somerset Messenger-Gazette) Branchburg, Somerset County
“Whether the developer of an approved age-restricted project known as Fox Hollow II can convert the development to market-rate housing could be decided tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 21 at a Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Municipal Building.”
September 6, 2011
Asbury group will present waterfront plans next week (Shields, The Asbury Park Press) Asbury Park, Monmouth County
“A waterfront redevelopment plan committee will hold a meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15 in the City Council chambers to present its recommendations for changes to the oceanfront plan to the public.”
Judge tosses remaining Long Branch eminent domain suits (Williams, The Asbury Park Press) Long Branch, Monmouth County
“The four Marine Terrace, Ocean Terrace, Seaview Avenue (MTOTSA) property owners who refused to sign on to the 2009 eminent domain lawsuit settlement have had their cases thrown out of court.”
Walmart Windmills Application On Wednesday’s Zoning Board Agenda (Piniat, Lacey Patch) Lacey, Ocean County
“OnniWind Energy Systems, LLC will be approaching the zoning Board of Adjustment once again on Wednesday, Sept. 7 t 7 p.m. with their plan to install wind turbines in the parking lot of the Lanoka Harbor Walmart.”
Unfinished developments in Hamilton Township cause trouble for neighbors (Landau, The Press of Atlantic City) Hamilton, Atlantic County
“Jeff Hauta bought a brand new home in July 2008.”
Thursday, December 16, 2010 (Afternoon)
NEWS
NJ Supreme Court rejects Rockaway Twp. appeal of Christ Church exemption (Jennings, The Daily Record) Rockaway, Morris County
“The New Jersey Supreme Court has declined to hear Rockaway Township’s appeal of Christ Church’s exemption from the state Highlands Law.”
COURTS
Cortesini v. Hamilton Township Planning Board (Appellate Division) Hamilton, Mercer County
“This appeal involves the grant by defendant Hamilton Township Planning Board (Board) to defendant Wal-Mart Real Estate Business Trust (Wal-Mart) of land use approvals for the proposed renovation of an existing Wal-Mart store. The primary argument presented by plaintiffs, who are property owners in Hamilton Township, is that the Board’s resolution authorizing this renovation is invalid because the approvals did not include a bulk variance authorizing the nonconformity of parts of the existing Wal-Mart parking lot with the parking area setback requirement of the Hamilton Township zoning ordinance. We reject this argument because the nonconformity with the parking area setback requirement is a feature of the existing Wal-Mart parking lot that was authorized by the subdivision and site plan approvals granted by the Board in 2001 and 2002, and the proposed renovation will not increase or otherwise affect that nonconformity. Therefore, plaintiffs’ challenge to the land use approvals granted by the Board for this renovation constitutes an untimely collateral attack upon the land use approvals the Board granted in 2001 and 2002 for construction of the original Wal-Mart store.”
Wednesday, November 10, 2010 (Morning)
Former developer cedes control of two large parcels of land in North Arlington (Lamendola, South Bergenite) North Arlington, Bergen County
“The New Jersey Meadowland Commission (NJMC) has not formally taken possession of two large parcels of land in North Arlington, which have been owned by Cherokee Investment Partners, the company that was looking to build a massive residential development in the Borough, but was essentially stonewalled when the borough refused to invoke eminent domain on businesses on Porete Avenue.”
Zoning Board re-examines application for Twin Ponds (Duffy, The Times of Trenton) Hamilton, Mercer County
“The township zoning board took another look at the long-awaited application for the Twin Ponds age-restricted apartment complex during last night’s meeting, five years after the project was first approved.”
Planning Board Addresses Master Plan Re-examination (Elliot, Maplewood Patch) Maplewood, Essex County
“In a rather quiet Maplewood Planning Board meeting, the Board heard comments from the public regarding the ongoing re-examination of the Town’s master plan.”
Wednesday, October 27, 2010 (Evening)
Appeals court tosses out Fort Monmouth affordable housing plan (Hester Sr., njnewsroom.com) Fort Monmouth, Monmouth County/Statewide
“In a decision that is expected to have wide ramifications, a state appeals court on Wednesday invalidated the Fort Monmouth redevelopment plan because it fails to provide for affordable housing in a manner required by the law.
Developer in Branchburg wants affordable housing component in 28-building project (Mustac, Messenger-Gazette) Branchburg, Somerset County
“The developer of a previously approved commercial complex now wants the same 45-acre property along Station Road between Routes 22 and 28 to be a 28-building residential site including some low-cost housing units instead.”
Hamilton Township Zoning Board hears plan for subdivision (Duffy, The Times of Trenton) Hamilton, Mercer County
“The township could gain about 13 acres of open space under a subdivision plan presented before the zoning board last night.”
Thursday, October 14, 2010 (Morning)
NEWS
COAH application deemed complete, then COAH rules invalidated (Zimmer, Suburban Trends) West Milford, Passaic County
“The township’s third-round Housing Element and Fair Share Plan application was recently deemed to be administratively complete by the state’s Council on Affordable Housing (COAH).”
State agrees to give big buck$ to Hamilton, Robbinsville and East Windsor for tree replacement (Abdur-Rahman, The Trentonian) Mercer County
“The state finally saw the forest for trees in Hamilton, Robbinsville and East Windsor.”
Robbinsville: Council eyes smoother path for Town Center South (Degnan, The Messenger-Press) Robbinsville, Mercer County
“The Township Council is set to vote tonight (Thursday) on a resolution aimed at jump-starting the long-stalled development of 90 acres on the south side of Route 33 collectively known as Town Center South.”
Avalon considers affordable housing plan (Leach, The Press of Atlantic City) Avalon, Cape May County
“As the state continues to debate how affordable housing requirements will change in New Jersey, the borough is beginning to work on its own plan to meet the needs of a barrier island community.”
OPINION
New Jersey cannot afford to cancel rail tunnel project (Bressler, for the Times of Trenton) Statewide
“A little more than 24 hours after canceling New Jersey’s commitment to help pay for a second rail tunnel connecting New York and New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie met with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and agreed to rethink his decision. Although the hour-long meeting did not resolve the governor’s concerns about how the tunnel should be funded, it did emphasize one important point: New Jersey has options beyond simply walking away.”
Thursday, September 30, 2010 (Afternoon)
NEWS
Conservationists worry that administration is rewriting environmental rules without public consent (Johnson, NJ Spotlight) Trenton, Mercer County
“In a move viewed by some as a stealth attempt to weaken the state’s rules to control stormwater runoff, the state Department of Environmental Protection is quietly soliciting comments on a controversial guidance document to be used by developers to comply with regulations.”
In Hamilton, anger over zoning change (Duffy, The Times of Trenton) Hamilton, Mercer County
“With reservations — and no shortage of grumbling — the township zoning board this week reluctantly approved a developer’s request to lift the age restrictions on an already approved senior housing complex on Kuser Road.”
Morristown, NJ, revamps Speedwell Avenue redevelopment project (Koloff, The Daily Record) Morristown, Morris County
“A driveway leading from a parking lot to a public works garage where garage trucks now go back and forth would become a pedestrian mall lined with restaurants and shops and lead to a park on street yet to be built and surrounded by buildings forming a quadrangle.”
Princeton planned weigh Dinky train fate (Knapp, The Times of Trenton) Princeton, Mercer County
“The Regional Planning Board of Princeton will consider a controversial plan tonight to replace the beloved “Dinky” train with several buses dedicated to rail passengers and others.”
Land by Allentown rezoned for commercial uses (Degnan, The Messenger-Press) Robbinsville, Mercer County
“The Township Council has voted to rezone farmland and residential properties on Route 526 near the Allentown border to for commercial use in an action criticized by residents from neighboring towns who decried the loss of the greenbelt anchored by the 18th century Wittenborn house and farm.”
OPINION
The tunnel: An investment in N.J.’s economic future (Brake, for The Times of Trenton) Statewide
“At Monday’s Assembly Transportation Committee hearing, New Jersey Transit Executive Director James Weinstein confirmed that the multibillion-dollar project now under construction for just about any new transit service improvement to be added to New Jersey’s transit system.”
Gov. Christie’s Tunnel Vision (Staff Editorial, The New York Times) Statewide
“Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey has made a national name for himself by slashing spending on education and other vital services. New Jersey’s children and other vulnerable residents are paying the price. Now he want to stall — and perhaps cancel — one of the most important transportation projects in the country: a new railway tunnel under the Hudson River linking New Jersey and Midtown Manhattan.”
Wednesday, September 15, 2010 (Morning)
NEWS
Gov. Christie says he ordered suspension of $8.7B trans-Hudson tunnel project (Fleisher, The Star-Ledger) Trenton, Mercer County
“Declaring he would not move forward on a project he could not afford, Gov. Chris Christie said today he was the one who put the brakes on the $8.7 billion trans-Hudson rail tunnel.”
Essex towns get grants for green projects (Appelbaum, The Star-Ledger) Essex County
“Environmentally friendly innovations like wind-powered turbines and electric car charging stations are coming soon to municipalities around Essex County thanks to grants from the Sustainable Jersey program.”
NJ Gov. Chris Christie continues dual appraisals in Highlands (O’Dea, The Daily Record) Highlands
“Land owners in the Highlands who choose to preserve their properties will receive more favorable treatment for another four years under legislation enacted by Gov. Chris Christie.”
Hamilton zoning board hears plan for huge solar-power array (Duffy, The Times of Trenton) Hamilton, Mercer County
“The solar business is heating up in Hamilton Township.”
OPINION
Tunnel project white elephant for New Jersey (Ingle, The Asbury Park Press)
“Somebody in the federal government noticed ‘Corzine’s Big Dig,’ the train tunnel from Xanadu to Macy’s basement, is on tap to be $1 billion over budget, so the project is one hold for 30 days. That $1 billion likely is just the start of costly overruns.”
Monday, August 23, 2010 (Afternoon)
NEWS
West Side Light Rail Extension Project Picks Up Some Federal Funding (Whiten, The Jersey City Independent) Jersey City, Hudson County
“Last fall, NJ Transit approved a study to explore the feasibility of extending the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail from the West Side Avenue station across Route 440 to the planned Bayfront development along the Hackensack River.”
40 acres preserved in Bethlehem Twp., next to Tower Hill, Jugtown reserves (Staff, Hunterdon County Democrat) Bethlehem, Hunterdon County
“Some 40 acres of forest and wetlands here have been preserved by the Hunterdon Land Trust, the New Jersey Audubon Society, the township and the New Jersey Water Supply Authority for a total cost of $285,000.”
OPINION
Mayors’ suit aims to protect communities (Fried, for The Times of Trenton) Robbinsville/Hamilton/East Windsor, Mercer County
“Earlier this month, Robbinsville, Hamilton and East Windsor took the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to court to block a classic bait-and-switch: Enticing us to turn over land to widen the New Jersey Turnpike with promises of $15 million in reforestation funds, then shipping the money elsewhere after the bulldozing had begun.”
COURT OPINION
O’Neill v. Township of Tewksbury Land Use Board (Appellate Division) Tewksbury, Hunterdon County
Wednesday, August 18, 2010 (Evening)
Planning Board Entertains Idea of a Re-Zoning to an Area Abutting Rt. 17 (Kleimann, Ridgewood Patch) Ridgewood, Bergen County
“The Planning Board entertained a conceptual hearing for the possible re-zoning of a property that has in the past been a potential spot for a multi-family housing structure, known as the Baker Housing site.”
ACUA seeking sites for county-wide solar project (Lowe, Shore News Today) Hamilton, Atlantic County
“The Atlantic County Utilities Authority hopes to increase its renewable energy resources in the next five years through a county-wide solar energy project that would place solar arrays on municipal-owned properties near nine of the ACUA’s pump stations.”
